February 24, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



cannot quite agree with " Jostitia" that poultry pens should 

 be with closed backs and tops, if they are of sufficient size for 

 the different varieties. At several shows which I have visited 

 lately I saw the absolute necessity of the pens being open on both 

 sides, in order to give sufficient light to the adjacent rows. 

 Again, at our own show, where we had not the Crystal Palace 

 light, we found open backs of great advantage. Let me sug- 

 gest to committees in general not to place the pens back to 

 back, but one tier on the other, the first stage being about 

 21 inches high. By this means we found them show the birds 

 to great advantage without injury, and afford much more room 

 for the visitors. — Snith, Gosport. 



PROFITS OF POULTRY-KEEPINOr. 

 Will " A. W." be kind enough to state, for the information 

 of myself and other amateurs, bow he obtains a profit of 

 £9 16s. lOd. from sis hens ? What does he make each for 

 eggs and chickens i He says, Chickens hatched, 106 ; now each 

 of those reared and Bold for 3s. would only bring £15 18s., 

 instead of £17 7s., as in "A. W.'s " letter; also chickens 

 killed, £12 18s. ; chickens sold, £4 9s.— total, £17 7s. Then 

 again he says, Eggs laid, 953 : taking out the 106 for chickens 

 hatched, there would be 847 for sale. These at Id. each 

 would only make £3 10s. Id., instead of £i 10s., value of eggs. 

 If he would kindly tell us how to get such good prices, I am 

 sure others besides myself will feel greatly obliged to him. 

 He must have a much better market to send to — at all events, 

 he has a much better way of making poultry pay than — S. O. 



BLACK EAST INDIAN DUCKS. 



I was much pleased with the remarks of " Justitia," on 

 page 72, regarding the claims of these Ducks to have a class 

 to themselves, and having now for seventeen years kept these 

 beautiful little pets, I can fully concur in the remarks made. 



Since Mandarins and Carolinas, i-c, have been allowed to be 

 shown in the class for " Any variety,'' the East Indian have no 

 chance, because the judges seem to have decided that Manda- 

 rins should always take the first, and the Carolinas the second 

 prize, so that it is of no use to enter the Black East Indians, 

 and consequently few exhibitors keep this really profitable 

 variety of Ducks ; for they aie very prolific, and the best of 

 any for the table. Formerly the East Indians had a fair 

 chance, and on looking over the reports of former shows, say 

 in 1854, I find them tolerably successful, but now do they ever 

 by any chance take a first prize in the " Any variety " class ? 

 Therefore let them have a class to themselves. To show com- 

 mittees that this will pay, I give you the entries of East 

 Indian Ducks at the Birmingham Show for the last six years : — 

 1864, twenty-four; 1865, twelve; 1866, twenty-four; 1867, 

 seventeen ; 1868, twenty-six ; 1869, twenty-three, or an aver- 

 age of twenty-one. The entry fees received were £8, and the 

 prizes were only £3 up to 1867, showing a profit of £5 during 

 the first four years. In 1868 the Council added to the prize 

 money, and again in 18C9, and the prizes are new £5 ; and a 

 silver cup, value £3 3s., was also given by a few amateurs 

 (which next year will be doubled, I think, from the names 

 already sent in ; if so, the first-prize pen will win eightguineas). 

 The entries in this class at Birmingham were in 1868 only four 

 short of the entries of the Aylesbury Ducks, and in 1869 five ; 

 at Manchester they exceeded the Aylesbury entries by four, at 

 Whitehaven they were equal, at Bristol they exceeded by six. 

 I have thus endeavoured to show that the Black East Indian 

 is a class that would pay for itself, and that committees are 

 blind to their own interests when they omit it. — Black East 

 Indian. 



MELROSE POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW. 



The Waverley Poultry Associations fourth Exhibition was held in 

 the Corn Exchange Hall, Melrose.' on the 16th and 17th inst. We 

 shall give a further report next week. The following are the awards 

 made : — 



Dorkings. — 1. D. Hardie, Sorbie. 2. T. Raines. Stirling, vhc, 3. White 

 Warlabv. he, W. B.Graham, Unthank, Langholm ; Lord Binning, Mellerstain ; 

 G. H. Plummer. Dalkeith ; T. Raines, c. Lord Binning: G. Andrews, Tuxford, 

 Newark ; F. L. Roy. Nenthom ; A. Hoggart, Leslie ; A. Curie. 



Spanish.— I, H. Beldon, Goitstock. •_>, T. C. «E. Newbitt, Epworth. he, D. 

 Waugb, Melrose ; R. Somerville, Edinburgh, c. T. Stevenson, Melrose; R. 

 Somerville ; M. Turabul), Melrose. 



Cochin-China.— I.E. Fearon. 2. W. R. Park, Abbotsmeadow. Melrose, he, A. 

 Campbell, Lares ; W. Cbeyne, Selkirk, e. F. Elston, Bchofield, Morpeth. 



Brahma Pootra. — 1, R. Brownlie. Kirkcaldy. 2. T. Raines, he, J. A. 

 Dempster, Stirling, e, 3. W. Morison, Kirkcaldy ; G. H. Plummer, Dalkeith. 



Game.— 1, D. Hardie. 2. Henderson & Alien, MuBScIburgb. he, J. Anderson 

 Meigle (Black Reds); D. Harley, DonningtolL e, A. Omuston (Uuckv/ings); 

 D. Nichol, Morpeth Illack R.dHr. 11. lidcison & Allen. 



Hamburgh.— Golden-pern (/.'■ <(.—], W. R. Fark. 2. H. Beldon. he, H. Pickles, 

 inn., Earby. c. W. Lintcn, Selkirk. Goldentpangled,— 1, !>■ Geuatty. 2. S. 

 and R. Asuton, Mottram. lie, R. Dick.-on, Selkirk, e, J. F. Loversidge, 

 Newark ; H. Pickles. ;un. Stlrer-p, neille,t.-l, H. pickles, jun. 2. W. R.Park. 

 e, 3. Piatt, Dean, Bolton. SHver-*imnnle,\.—\, H. Beldon. 2. W. R. Park. 

 vhc, S. & R. Asbton. he, H. Pickles, jun. c, C. Armstrong, Bebaide Colliery. 



Ant other Variety.— 1. VV. K. Park (Creve-Cceur). 2, H. Beldon IPolands). 

 he, Mrs. G. M'Adam. Banchory Tenian (Houdans); G. M'Adam (Houdans); 

 H. Pickles, jun. (Polands). c, J. Elgur, Newark; G. Todd, Monkweannouth 

 Silver Polands); E. Fearon. , 



Bantams— Come.— 1, F. L. Roy (Black Reds). 2, W. Greaves. Bradford. 

 vhc, W. Cheyne. he, W. Adams. Ipswich (Black Red Game); G. Dowie' 

 Bedlington (Black Reds); W. Hodgson, Darlington (Black Reus), c, 3. R, 

 Robinson; T.Raines; E. Brownlie; T. Barker (Black Reds) ; Mrs. Miles 

 Newstead. Ann Variety.— I, H. Beldon. 2, Miss B. P. Frew, Kirkcaldy (Silver- 

 laced), he, T. c. Harrison. Hull; S. i I:. Ashbui il.li.kl; R. Brownlie (Se- 

 bright), c, Lord Burning (Silver-laced); H. W. Pople (Japanese); J. Elgar 

 (Black). Any Variety.— Cock.— 1, G. Dowie (Black Red). 2, T. C. Harrison. 

 he, J. Archibald ; \Y. Adams (Duckwing); W. M'Donald, Floors, Kelso (Duck- 

 wing). 



Ducks.— Aylesbury.— 1, 3. Tod. jun., Bowhouse, Stirling. 2 and c, D. 

 Hardie. he, A. Hoggart, Leslie. Rouen— 1 and 2, D. Hardie. 7tc, J. B. Story, 

 jnn., Milnhead. e. T. Hawkins. Langlee. Any other Variety— 1 and 2. T. C. 

 Harrison. Hull, he, S. i R. Ashton. c, T. Stevenson (.Africans.) 



Selling Class.— 1,3. B. Story, jun. (Light Brahmas). 2, D. Hardie (Dorking). 

 e, W. R. Park : F. L. Rov (Dorkings). 



Pigeons.— Fa '< . -1, '.V. R. Park. 2. A. Croebie, Gattonaide, Melrose. 

 he, Miss I. Waugh, Melrose. Poute,*.— 1. \V. Moon. 2, J. Fairley. Edinburgh, 

 lie, H. Yardlev. Birmingham. Num.— 1, H. Tardley. 2, 1;. Paterson, Melrose. 

 he. A, Crosbie'. Jaeob ins.— 1, H. Yardlev. 2, R. Paterson. Turbits — 1. R.Pater- 

 son. 2, W. R. Park. he. H. Yardley. Oir<< i English).-!, R. Paterson. 2, W. 

 Goddard. rhe. W. Turnbull. he, R. Whittaker. Tumblers.— 1, Withheld. 

 2, H. Yardlev. he. W. Elliot, Musselburgh. Any other variety.— 1, A. Crosbie 

 (Letz). a and e, W. Goddard (Magpies), i . 1 . M'Crae (Ijranswicks). he, W. 

 Goddard (Blue Runts and Black Austrian loutersl; R. Paterson (Ice). Sell- 

 ing Class— I. A. Crosbie. 2, S. & R. Ashton (Archangels), vhc and he, R. 

 Paterson. , . . _ 



Canaries— Bon (Yellow).— Tocfr.— 1, T. riawkjni. 2, .T. Kemp, Galashiels. 

 he, H. Donald, Galashiels. Hen— 1, J. Ken i. 2, J. Hardie, Galashiels. ftc.W, 

 Boggie. Melrose. Don (Buff).— Cock— 1, J. Hardie. 2, T. Wilson, he. A. 

 Maclean. Melrose. Ben.—l, T. Hawkins. 2, H. Donald, he. 3. Hardie. Don 

 (Yellow Flecked).— Coek.—l, 3. Kemp. 2. T. Darling, Hawick. Hen.— I, 3. 

 Ritchie, Selkirk. 2. T. Darlmg. Don (Buff Flecked).— Cocfc.—l, T. Wilson. 

 2, J. Kemp. Hen.— 1, T. Darling. 2, J. Kemp. 



Ant other Cage Bum (Canaries excepted).— 1, J. Robson (Goluhnch Mule). 

 2. Miss C. Paterson, Melrose (Goldfinch), he, R. Paterson ; T. Walker, Shiels, 

 fatow (Starling). 



Judges.— Mr. E. Hntton, Pudsey, Leeds, and Mr. James Dryden, 

 Kelso. 



SKY TUMBLERS— BIRMINGHAM ROLLERS. 



The Birmingham Rollers refcired to in my commendation of this 

 Pigeon, are a stock supplied to me by a Birmingham fancier, and re- 

 presented to he bred distinctly for high flying and tumbling, and the 

 muffed legs, peculiar to some, not all of these birds. I speak, therefore, 

 to the high flying and tumbling properties of the Birmingham Roller 

 upon my own' observation of the stock supplied me. and which answers 

 the representation I had with the birds. As Sky Tumblers, these birds 

 are such, in fact, if not by appellation ; hut, whether Birmingham 

 Rollers, or not that variety of Pigeon, rests on the fancier who supplied 

 me with the birds, and he is an experienced keeper of Pigeons. I 

 think some confusion of identity subsists between the ground or house 

 Tumbler, a Pigeon that rises and rolls [down again, and the Birming- 

 ham Roller, which is (if my birds are Birmingham Rollers) a distinct 

 bird, as described bv me. 



I communicate these facts, lest any subscriber to yonr Journal 

 patronise Birmingham Rollers, without searching inquiry, in reference 

 to the object and purpose of his fancy. — Reader. 



I have often wondered -when Tumblers were the subject, that so 

 little has been said abont their high-flying and tumbling, their principal 

 characteristics, and so much about the form of their heads, the smart- 

 ness of their beaks, and, in the case of the Almond variety, the beauty 

 of their plumage. It is true I have seen descriptions and pictures of them 

 in which they equalled, if not excelled, the Pheasant or Hamburgh 

 fowl in the regularity of the markings of their tri-coloured feathers, 

 and have made a pilgrimage or two to the Birmingham Show to see 

 the living representatives of those same, but without obtaining the re- 

 ward. The markings of those I saw had more of the appearance of 

 birds which had been handled in the lump by unclean hands, rather 

 painted feather by feather ; and as to the beaks, I think the bonnets 

 of some ladies of the present day, and the wasp-waists of others, are 

 nearly as good illustrations of proportion. This, however, is a matter 

 of taste. 



Will " Readep. " or Mr. Crook be so good as to tell us at what time 

 they recommend robbing the nests ? as if done as soon as the second 

 egg is laid, only from a week to a fortnight is gained in time, and the 

 Pigeon's strength|is diminished by excessive laying ; while, on the other 

 hand, if left to sit the time out, strength may be lost by sedentary life. 

 The same queries and doubts apply also to winter treatment. 



Have any of yonr correspondents known a case like the following : — 

 One of my Tumbler hens, three or four years old, accustomed to make 

 only one somersault at a time, at once continued spinning from a good 

 height down to the ground. After the first time she could not fly 

 again for more than two months ; the second time she hurt herself so 

 much by contact with the ground, that I think she will never fly again. 



